The Island
by Entire Oranges
Summary: Cat has hit an invisible asteroid and life support is going out.


Strangely it was the silence that awoke him, cautiously lifting his head from the pillow and taking a survey of everything, all seemed in order. Still the vents should have been clanking along with banging, and there was always the hum of the engine that kept the show running. With a sigh he throws the formerly itchy (Kryten found a deregrent that took care of that) blanket off of himself and jumped down from the bunk to the floor. Without bothering to put of his robe he shuffles from his quarters to find some answers (or least someone with them).

"What's going on guys?" Already gathered around the table seemingly in mid conversation was the rest of the crew, all three of them.

"Good you're awake Mr. Lister! Biscuit?" Kryten holds up a platter with two biscuits and a bunch of crumbs on it, with a wide grin.

"Yeah thanks." He reaches for one as pulling out his usual seat from the table and sits down.

"I think we should get back to the issue at hand don't you all agree?" Rimmer says, as always sounding a bit pissy.

"Why do you care goal post head? Being a hologram and not one who breathes!" Cat was always grouchy first thing in the morning, especially four in the morning. His first of six nap times usually began at five.

"Breathing? Does this have something to do with engine stopping?" Lister asks just before taking a bite of the pastry.

"Oh it's nothing too serious sir." Kryten was looking away, though he could now lie he had to focus his attention on something or someone else.

"Nothing too serious!?"

"Please try to stay calm Cat, conserve your energy."

"Shouldn't we be doing something?" Lister continues to eat the awfully yummy biscuit moving his head and forth to each one of the crew trying to get a fix on what was happening, but knowing he already didn't care for it one bit.

"Again what in the smeg is going on!?"

"Cat shouldn't you handle this? After all you were the one the at the controls, were you not?"

"Who was the one who set the course and insisted over and over it was correct?!"

"I'd figure you would have enough intelligence to know to swerve to miss a freaking asteroid. But I suppose I gave you too much credit. Don't worry that was the first and only time!"

"Please do try to stay calm. I figure you and Mr. Lister have three hours of breathable air left, just stay calm as possible." At Kryten's words Lister jumps from the chair knocking it onto the floor with a loud thud.

"Whoa hold up a minute here! An asteroid, you hit an asteroid Cat? Didn't you sense it? You're telling me you can sense cheese going moldy and space weevils dancing Irish jigs but you can't sense a damn asteroid?!"

"It was invisible!"

"An invisible asteroid?! Just admit you freaking messed up and killed us all!" Often Lister had much more patience and a soft spot in his heart for Cat; having his heart pounding with nerves and fear overwrote an sympathies at the moment.

"Yeah that's right invisible. Got a problem with that?" Cat stands up in attack posture, a move rarely seen, his eyes wide. Lister steps forward willing to be the one to make the first swing.

"Please calm down! Whatever happened is an accident, there is no need for bickering." Kryten takes a few steps to his right until he is standing directly in between them.

"You're right Kryten, what's the plan? Please tell me we have one. We do right?"

"That's was what I have been trying to figure out, should we continue on now?" Lister's anger quickly turned towards Rimmer, wishing he had the ability to slap him. Cat was right, why was he, a hologram and one whom didn't breath seem to care so much? A sudden soft spot in his heart? Better chance of Gene Kelly and Harrison Ford appearing out of thin air and doing a gymnast routine naked, than of that happening.

"There's a breathable planet not that far off." Kryten said.

"What are we waiting for? Let's pilot this metal of shit and leave!" Lister dashed towards the front of Starbug, to the piloting seat it wasn't until he sat down he remembered the ship was dead. Everything about it, especially her engines. He yells out smeg slamming his fist down onto the panel. His anger and temper were starting to concern himself slightly. Often possessed much more calmness and was even headed, and behind Kryten the less likely to engage in quote on quote freak out mode. Still every passing moment, closer to what might soon be his death, Lister could feel his blood boiling, a twinge above his right eye was starting too. As much as he didn't care for it, there were more important things on the plate.

"The monkey is right, why don't we get of here?"

"Can we?" Cat and Rimmer spoke right after each other having followed behind, but not sitting down. A seconds later Kryten joined with the matter paddler in his hands, fiddling at it's knobs.

"You've got to be kidding me! We all know how unstable that piece of crap is. I'm not using it!" Lister exclaims, folding his arms.

"Fine more food for me! We are taking the food supply right? Does the planet have food? What type? Fish?"

"Thanks a lot man! Thought we were mates!" Again, Lister didn't like the rage building up and he knew it was moments from boiling over completely.

"Well if you're going to be an idiot than like platform shoes, our friendship is dead." It was like watching a movie being played in slow motion, Lister flew up from his seat, dove towards Cat, passing through Rimmer during the process and gave the over grown feline a hard and well placed jab to his chin, knocking him down. Of course being nimble as cats often are, he was soon back up, throwing his own punches.

"Please stop!" Kryten called out, trying to stand in between as he had a earlier the kitchen, but now failing badly.

"What a bunch of savage animals." Without looking Lister knew Rimmer was smiling sarcastically; he'd be next.

"Mr. Rimmer help me!"

"What am I suppose to do?!" Likely Kryten wanted to discuss or perhaps argue with him, but decided just ending the brawl himself would work best, by throwing an hand onto both their chests and pushing them back, Lister falling into the controls and Cat stumbled onto the floor.

"I don't see any other solution, at least not at the moment. I am certain the engines can be fixed, but it'll be several days. So it's off with you two until than. The scans show the planet has lots of water, plenty of fish. There is a little island that you may make a shelter on." All Lister could was stare, while Cat growled.

"Testy much?"

"Shove it Rimmer!"

"It would seem that asteroid must have triggered some type of personality crisis the sooner you two are gone the better! I preset the corridors, now go! Both of you!" With another mutter both Cat and Lister step forward touch the paddle and vanished.


End file.
